Saving Grace
by i.live.for.twilight
Summary: An imprint story. An older wolf falls in love for the first and last time with a mysterious girl by the rapids.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I only wish they were mine._

**Prologue**

I had no idea where he had come from and I didn't know why he had picked me. All I knew is that I didn't care and I was glad he did. He saved me.


	2. Dragging Me Under

_Disclaimer: I only wish they were mine._

**Chapter 1: Dragging Me Under**

I lived in one of the most beautiful places in all of Canada. North western Ontario was nothing to sneeze at. Trees old as 100 years, rocks lush with blueberries at this time of year, lakes and rivers in the most unexpected places, and everything surrounded by blue skies which were unpredictable with thunderstorms in the spring and summer.

But I truly believed that one of the most beautiful things about this area resided in my very own community. Manido Bawitigong, the Spirit Rapids. I sat as near them as I could as the tears ran down my face. My mother always said that this place held great significance for our people, that water was healing and as Anishinaabe women we were responsible for the health of Mother Earth's blood. My mother...I let out a sob as I thought of her smile and wished that I could feel her arms around me again.

I had told her not to take the batteries out of the smoke alarms, but she said we would be fine. She never imagined that someone would hate us so much that they would set our home aflame in a drunken, jealous rage. I had lost everything. Everything. No one had survived and I had come home from a night out on the town to find a smouldering hole where my home had once stood. I had held my baby sister's hand as they took her off life support, the decision made by my Uncle, my mom's favourite brother. He had sobbed with me at the funeral. Burying seven family members at once was something no one should ever have to go through. I felt like I would never breath properly again.

So why bother breathing ever again? I stood at the edge of the rock contemplating the swirling waters in front of me. No one had ever survived the rapids as far as I knew, and no one had died in them since my mother was younger than I was now. I didn't want to live anymore. What was the point without them?

I jumped.

The current caught me almost immediately and I felt my body being sucked towards the bottom of the deep river. I was flung suddenly against one of the rocks and my world went black. The last thing I saw was a human-like shape swimming towards me and a sturgeon beside me.

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**A/N:** Oh my a new story! Well do I have your attention? Review if you want more.


	3. Be My Saving Grace

_Disclaimer: I only wish they were mine._

**Chapter 2: Be My Saving Grace**

It had been almost twenty years since I had first phased. I knew I was missing something every time I turned into a wolf because I could hear their thoughts...their pity. I had never aged, I was waiting for the time when I would find her and we could grow old together. But I was useless to the pack now that new, younger wolves had emerged to protect the community. I had finally grown sick of it and run North.

Canada was one of the most beautiful places I had ever experienced aside from my own home. I sometimes wondered though if it were only beautiful to me because it was freedom from what I had become, if only for a brief moment. It was difficult, this life, when there was no one to share it with. I yearned to imprint so that I could have what my brothers had. I knew my sister felt the same and had as little hope as I did. I actually had more hope for her. A real man could handle her; she just had to find him. I guess that's what I was doing right now too, looking for the right woman.

I stared into the dense bush in front of me. I could hear my brothers as clearly as if they were next to me, though they were hundreds of miles away. They never asked me to come home, they simply checked on me every once in a while, my sister more often than the rest of them. This I didn't mind, I knew they were waiting for me, for my decision and would welcome me the moment I went back. If I went back.

I continued through the moonlit trees of the North western Ontario bush. This area was a rare gem in a province that seemed to be ruled by sprawling cities further South. I enjoyed the solitude that was filled with both the sounds of nature and civilization nearby. I knew I was going to have to change soon if I wanted to avoid hunting again. I was so sick of raw meat, I really just wanted eggs.

I knew there was a corner store about three miles East of me, so I ran nearer to it and phased. After donning my one, somewhat dirty outfit consisting of t-shirt, shorts, and flip flops, I strode across the highway and into the store. I got some surprised looks at my sudden appearance from the dark so I smiled nicely at the clerk and asked if there was a restaurant open at this hour anywhere nearby. The result was negative and I was somewhat disappointed. Instead of eggs then, I grabbed a loaf of bread, two packs of salami, chips, a two litre of coke, and a bag of chocolate chip cookies. I paid and left quietly.

I noticed that there appeared to be a small community southwards so I walked down the highway to find a place to chow down. I could hear the sounds of rushing water and let me tired feet and growling stomach propel me forward. I found myself at the top of a large bank overlooking a river with a fast current, and what I believed were called rapids. A small picnic table sat near the edge and I imagined that it wasn't too popular a place for eating, too many bears in this area.

Quickly, I spread out my food, made a dozen sandwiches, and ate it all. I finished everything off with my bottle of pop. After letting out one of the biggest burps ever I curled up contentedly on the soft, dry ground nearby and fell into a deep sleep.

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The morning sun filtered down through the trees into my face, but that wasn't what woke me. I could hear a vehicle coming towards my sleeping place so I quickly dusted myself off and climbed a nearby tree for coverage. It was very early in the morning yet, maybe about seven, and I was surprised anyone was awake in this small community, never mind coming to this desolate area. I looked around a little more carefully and noticed stairs built into the hillside leading towards the rocks in the water, but what really caught my attention was the young woman quickly descending the bank. Her black hair shone in the sun and her naturally tanned skin glowed in the rising sun. I found myself enamoured and dropped from my place in the branches to follow her.

She had reached the rocks and was picking her way closer to the swirling depths. I was nervous and had no idea why. I didn't even know her, but I was deathly afraid that she would slip and fall. I had no reason to be concerned though as she expertly seated herself and removed her shoes to dip her toes into the cool waters. I edged closer to the rocks slowly, afraid to startle this beautiful creature. I moved to the left, along the bank so that I could see her face. Crouching in the reeds where I was all but invisible, I watched the tears streak down her lovely features. She wiped them away angrily but continued to sob lightly. No human could have made out the sound, but with my sensitive hearing I could detect every hint of desolation in her cries. I wanted to take her in my arms and wipe away her tears.

As I continued to be frozen in place, watching desperately, she stood gracefully and stared into the depths of the dangerous currents. I was suddenly afraid of her falling again. Apparently there was no reason to fear her falling though, I thought as I watched her jump.

It took me less than a second to react and I was racing towards the water, hoping that it was no stronger than a hurricane current. I dove lightly into the rapids with open eyes, searching. She was already below me, and I let the water drag me towards her, I knew I would be able to fight the current now that I was in the water. I watched as she hit her spine and head on a large rock. A large fish appeared next to her as she fought unconsciousness. I began to swim. I reached her in record time and pulled her limp body against me as a reached for the surface.

The whole ordeal lasted less than thirty seconds and I resurfaced with her almost in the exact spot I had dived in. I towed us towards the rocks and could see a few people running down the bank to help me. I easily pulled us out of the water and onto a rock further inland. I laid her on her back to find her unconscious.

Frightened, I pushed her hair away from her face to listen for her breath. It was hardly there and I knew she needed help. Thank God I knew CPR. I immediately began to pump the water from her lungs and breathe life into her from my own. I could feel eyes on me as I worked but didn't look up until she was sitting upright, supported in my arms, coughing up the last of the water and pulling in her own strained breaths.

I sighed in relief and continued to hold her in an upright position until she was breathing almost normally. I finally looked up to the people around me and was surprised to see many brown faces staring back at me. I hadn't realized I was on a reserve.

A young man pushed his way through the rest, and knelt before the woman in my arms. His face was creased with worry and exultant with relief.

"Grace! What were you thinking? You could have been killed! You know better than to go that close to the rapids!"

Grace, I assumed that was her name, began to sob and reached weakly for the man in front of her. I allowed him to take her from me and watched as he carried her to the top of the rocks where a stout, elderly woman waited. The lady embraced Grace fiercely and whispered remonstrations in her ear. They obviously thought she had fallen, never thinking that she would jump.

I was distracted from this thought by the shrill siren of an ambulance at the top of the hill and a large man approaching me.

"Son, are you okay?"

I stared up at the taller man from my place on the ground. He held out his hand and I allowed him to pull me up.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Is she okay?"

"Grace is going to be fine. That was a very brave thing you did, you could have gotten yourself killed."

I continued to stare at Grace as they carried her up the hill. I wanted to run after her so badly, but first I had to deal with this man. I turned back to him, "Uh, well I'm trained for this sort of thing. You know like that movie, _The Guard_, or whatever, that's what I do for a living."

He stared at me, not sure whether to believe my weak lie, but he seemed to decide it was good enough, "No one has ever survived the rapids. I owe you much for saving my niece's life today. My name is Mahengun, it is an honour to meet you..."

He trailed off waiting for my name, "Seth Clearwater."

"...Seth Clearwater," he repeated.

Just then I looked back up and found Grace watching me. My eyes connected with her green orbs and the world stopped. Gravity moved. I was undone.

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**A/N: **Well Twilight characters finally showed up! Just so you know this story will be switching back and forth between Seth and Grace POV, but not within the same chapter and there will not be too much repetition. Please review. More to come!


	4. A Day At A Time

_Disclaimer: I only wish they were mine._

**Chapter 3: A Day at a Time**

Grace POV

Waking up in the hospital with an IV stuck in my arm after a near-death experience where I was saved by a strange, rescue-trained man was not one of the most defining moments of my life. I was quite ashamed of what I had done. I was ashamed mostly because I knew my mother would have been horrified. I imagined journeying to the other side only to have her kick my ass for committing suicide. At least I would see her again, and after she was done kicking my but all through the clouds she would hold me like she used to when I was younger.

My Shoomis used to tease us that there was a line up to see the Creator when we got to the spirit world and you had to tell him about your life. Shoomis always said he was going to get sent to the back of the line to wait all over again because he had screwed up so much with drugs and alcohol, had wasted much of the time the Creator had given him.

And I had almost wasted my whole life. What was I thinking? I knew damn well this wasn't what my family would have wanted for me. They expected so much of me; even now in their death I could still feel the pressure of their hopes and dreams for me. My parents had always hoped I would be a doctor or lawyer with my high grades and great street smarts. They had been so disappointed when I joined the armed forces. They never showed that disappointment though; they supported me through it all, especially when I got the boot for consorting with a higher ranking officer. The asshole had charged me with sexual harassment just to get rid of me and I had been dishonourably discharged, but not before I got my nursing degree out of the deal.

I put the thought from my mind and turned myself into a more comfortable position on my great aunt's couch. I had been released from the hospital yesterday but I had refused to leave the small reserve where I had lived for most of my life. I felt so much closer to my family here. The couch was completely uncomfortable, leather, which had once belonged to my grandparents, when my mother was still in elementary school. Definitely not appealing in any manner.

I let my thoughts wander for a while. I could hear a dog barking in the distance. For some reason it made me think of the young man who had pulled me from the rapids. How he had survived and managed to rescue me too was beyond my imagination. I wasn't sure if I was glad he had saved me either.

My uncle had said his name was Seth Clearwater and he was visiting from somewhere in Washington, state, not city. I vaguely remembered his outline against the rushing water, but I distinctly remembered his eyes. He had locked gazes with me as I was carried up the hill to the ambulance and I had passed out soon after. I wished that I could have thanked him, but apparently he had returned to his backpacking through Canada soon after I was declared perfectly fine and before I was released.

I punched the couch into a more comfortable position and tried to fall asleep. It was useless. My mind was going a mile a minute and I couldn't even close my eyes to the ever growing darkness. I quietly got up and threw on my favourite sweater which my uncle had brought from my place in Fort Frances. I had been given a sick leave from work and my aunt insisted I stay with her for a while until I got back on my feet halfway.

I snuck out the front door, making sure to skip the second step and pet their aging dog so she wouldn't bark. I automatically turned my steps west, towards the river, and the rapids. My quiet, jumbled thoughts were interrupted by a low, male voice about halfway down the riverbank steps.

"Not going for another swim are you?"

I spun around on the stairs, a small sound of surprise, more like a sharp exhale with a shriek edge, escaped my throat. The man who had pulled me from the rapids stood not ten feet away. What was his name again? Sam, no...Seth that was it! Seth.

"Uh, no, I was just, I...um," I stuttered over my words, "You're Seth right?"

My voice was stronger now and he looked surprised that I knew his name. I continued to babble in my nervousness.

"My uncle told me your name, but he said you left already. I just wanted to say thank you, for you know saving my life, but also for not telling anyone that I jumped. I was so stupid, don't know what I was thinking, well actually I do, but I...I'm babbling...sorry."

His face was partially hidden in the moonlight, but I could tell he was amused by my chatter, even if his face was a serious mask. He took a few more steps towards me and I stayed very still.

"Yes, my name is Seth. I am supposed to be gone by now but I couldn't leave until I talked to you. I want the truth, not whatever you've been telling everyone."

I gulped. Well this was going to be a long conversation. I looked longingly toward the rocks at the foot of the hill and suggested that we take a seat. He looked at me doubtfully.

"Just near the edge of the bank, not too far out, I just, I like to watch the water."

He studied me for one more moment and led the way down to the rocks, still staying a few feet away, almost like he was afraid to get too close. I didn't blame him; he probably thought I was crazy or something. Maybe I was.

Seth stopped before I wanted to but I didn't argue with him and sat down next to him, staring out at the water. He waited patiently beside me, watching me. It surprised me that his stare didn't annoy me; usually I hated it when people stared at me.

I turned to look at him. His face was fully visible in the moonlight now and my breath caught in my chest as I took in his beauty. Perfectly shaped features, deep, russet coloured skin and intense brown eyes met my examination. I looked him up and down quickly and noticed for the first time that he wore nothing but cut-off shorts. I blushed, for some odd reason, and forced my eyes away from his chiselled body and back to his face. He continued to stare back at me and I felt oddly comforted by this strange man.

I took a deep, purifying breath, "So...I guess I don't really know what to say here."

A smile graced his features and my breath way stolen from me with the simple facial expression. My heart accelerated slightly as I admonished myself for reacting like I was. It was stupid to even admire a man when I couldn't admire myself.

I could feel him continue to stare at my down-turned face and again it struck me that it didn't bother me to have him look at me so steadily. It took me a second to realize he was speaking and I was forced to ask him to repeat himself.

"I was just thinking that maybe you could tell me why you jumped. I mean at first I was afraid you were going to fall so I moved closer, but then you jumped! It was all I could do to pull you out of there!"

I held up a hand to stop him from continuing his little rant. I gave him a simple answer, still reluctant to talk about it, "I was suicidal."

He snorted, "Obviously. My question is why."

Damn this stranger. "I lost everything."

"What like are you bankrupt or something?"

That had to be the stupidest thing I had ever heard and giggled despite myself, then I began to laugh in earnest, but then my laughs turned to light sobs as tears began to run down my face. If only my problems were as simple as being broke. But I could never be so lucky. Instead I had lost something so much more important to me than money.

"Are you okay?" he appeared to think I was going to fall apart. He had his arm around my shoulder tightly. I hadn't even noticed the contact, but now that I was staring at his arm he removed it. I instantly missed the warmth his bare arm had provided. His skin had been very hot, almost as if he had a fever.

"Are you?" I finally replied through my tears.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He really seemed puzzled.

"You're really hot," I stumbled, "I mean, like, as in warm, your skin is really hot...uh warm. Do you have a fever or something?"

He laughed lightly at my stuttered questions and didn't bother to answer me even though I waited for a while. He continued to stare at me and it was starting to make me a little uncomfortable, but not annoyed. I looked out towards the water. The river was high and the water flowed like molten glass over the rush of the rapids. As I stared I saw the silhouette of a large sturgeon break the surface and jump into the air. It slid gracefully back into the river and did not reappear.

I remembered a moment with my mother here by the rapids. We had come down here to talk about our family. It had been a horrid time. I had accidentally met her biological father and he was trying to get me to call him Grandpa in the middle of Wal-Mart. I had known that Shoomis wasn't mom's biological father but she never mentioned the other man and I didn't really know anything about the situation. My mother had rounded the corner where I had been pursuing the movies to find him trying to give me a hug. She had asked him quite calmly to remove himself and leave me be. They had argued for a moment before she took my hand and led me away to the check out. She didn't say anything on the way home or as we unloaded the groceries. Then she had taken my hand and we walked to down the highway to the rapids in silence. We sat on the rocks for a while before she began to talk. It was the first time she had treated me like an adult as far as I could recall in my thirteen year old mind. She weaved her words beautifully; she had always been a great story teller.

I mostly remember her tears from that day, I had cried too as she told me of the family who had lied to her and then left her. She wasn't white enough for them I guess. She also told me how her mother had brought her here to tell her that her infant brother was going to die from birth complications. She had wanted to bring me here because she said that water was healing, especially for women, and that her dodem, her clan, the sturgeon was right here if she needed it.

And now they were here for me. Even though I had adopted my father's dodem as was our tradition, my mother still said that hers would watch over her children too. It made me feel better that the sturgeon had jumped. He was coming to visit me.

"You know, I was wondering what kind of fish that was. There was one near you when I pulled you out. Kind of like it was keeping an eye on you."

I was surprised by this bit of information, but then I chalked it up to faith. "It's a sturgeon."

"Oh."

A silence followed this little awkward moment. I was exhausted all of a sudden as watched the sun begin to rise. I decided to just get it over with, maybe I would feel better if I talked to someone and maybe he wouldn't be like everyone else, lost in their own grief at the loss of my family.

"I lost my family."

He turned to look at me again, the sunrise highlighting his features in an almost angelic glow. His eyes were sympathetic, still guarded, but also curious.

"When?" I was surprised at this question. I had expected him to grill me about who and how and why, not when.

I actually had to think about this. What was the date today? The 20th? Yeah I think so. My god, had it really been that long?

"Six weeks ago." How in the hell was I still living? How was I living without them?

Seth remained silent as I continued my thoughts out loud, "I just can't believe it's already been that long. I don't know how I'm still breathing, still living without them."

"You almost weren't," He reminded me softly.

Tears began to track their familiar path down my face. Once again Seth put his arm around me and I leaned into the warmth of his embrace. I didn't let myself completely lose control, I simply sobbed quietly into his shoulder.

I don't know how long we sat there. He held me as I cried and remembered my lost family, sometimes I shared my memories with him, sometimes he told me stories of his home to distract me and calm me for a bit. After a few hours of sharing our lives, I pulled away from Seth to wipe my face. I moved to the edge of the rocks with him following closely. I knelt down at the edge of the rolling waters and cupped my hands into a small rivulet of the river. I splashed the cool water onto my face and smiled slightly as Seth knelt down next to me and mimicked me. I sat back after I was through and watched the fast current, amazed that he had succeeded in pulling me from the rapids that no one had ever survived.

"Grace?" Seth broke into my musings quietly.

I turned to look at the handsome man next to me, "Hmm?"

"It's getting kinda late and I was wondering if you'd like to get something to eat. I don't have a car or anything though so I don't know how we'd go anywhere."

He seemed ashamed of the fact that he didn't have a car. I smiled at that thought. I mean if he was backpacking across Canada why would he have a car anyway?

"I've got a car. Lunch would be great."

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A/N: Sorry it took longer than planned but I hope 2500 words make up for it. Just a little aside: I went to the Rapids for the first time in a very long time last week and I was once again awed by the power and beauty in time with nature's tranquility. There is no other place like it on Earth. You know you wanna click the little green button! ;)


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